NBA: Bold Predictions for All 30 1st-Round Picks in 2011-12 Season

The lockout has really put a damper on any and all NBA conversations. One of the saddest casualties of this mess are the summer leagues in which the rookies would have participated. It was exciting to see a lot of the league's young talent going at it.

Assuming the 2011-12 season isn't cancelled entirely, the regular season may be the first time we get to see the likes of Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving.

With that in mind, it's kind of difficult to predict what kind of impact this rookie class will have. Even still, I'm going to try. Here are some bold predictions for each of the 30 first-rounders' rookie seasons...

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving

Bold Prediction: Kyrie Irving Will Average Less than Four Assists a Game

Irving was considered the top overall prospect in this year's class for months leading up to the draft, but no one could really offer a decent explanation why.

During his short 11-game stint with Duke last year, he often looked like more of a shoot-first point guard than the kind of distributor he was advertised to be.

I don't think he's good enough to play over Baron Davis or Ramon Sessions, but the team will force him into the rotation because he's the No. 1 pick. Even if they can find a way to get him some minutes, I don't see Irving being very productive as a rookie.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Derrick Williams Won't Start More than 20 Games

This one is completely up in the air right now. Williams' success as a rookie is dependent upon whether or not Minnesota makes any more deals this year. There was a rumor that the team might send Kevin Love to Los Angeles. That would open up a starting spot for Williams.

If the roster stays the same as it is today (or even if just Michael Beasley, Love and Williams all stay), there seems to be no reason to start Williams. Beasley and Love are both very good young players who did more in college than Williams and are proven on this level as well.

3. Utah Jazz: Enes Kanter

Bold Prediction: Enes Kanter Will Play Well Enough to Move Al Jefferson to Power Forward

This is such a "boom or bust" draft class. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Kanter winding up as yet another face in the sea of sub-par NBA centers.

However, Kanter is by most accounts, not a typical overseas big man. He has good measurements, fundamentals and an intense demeanor. He looked good at the NBA's pre-draft camp and some felt he would have been a more dominant freshman big than Ohio State's Jared Sullinger had he been eligible.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tristan Thompson

In 2006, the Chicago Bulls picked up fourth overall selection Tyrus Thomas. The LSU big man was supposed to be an exciting and athletic on offense and dominant on defense. As a rookie, he averaged 5.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. For his career, he's averaging eight points and five rebounds a game.

Thomas's numbers and game in college are eerily similar to what Thompson did for Texas last year. I (right along with countless others) was utterly shocked when the Cavaliers took Thompson with the fourth overall pick.

Players drafted on athleticism and potential rarely pan out. I hope I'm wrong, but I actually see less upside with Thompson than I did with Thomas.

6. Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Jan Vesely Will Make Everyone Wonder Why Some Called Him the Czech Blake Griffin

Vesely was advertised as one of the most athletic prospects in this year's draft. Have you seen the guy's highlight reel? Sure, he gets a few dunks in the video but if you look at his feet, he's barely getting off the ground.

Against NBA bodies and competition, Vesely will have a hard time finishing at the rim.

7. Charlotte Bobcats (via Sacramento Kings): Bismack Biyombo

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Bismack Biyombo Will Play Less than 10 Minutes a Game

I actually think Biyombo will develop into a dominant Ben Wallace-type defender. However, his offensive game is so bad right now that I have a hard time seeing him working his way into Charlotte's rotation.

10. Sacramento Kings (via Milwaukee Bucks): Jimmer Fredette

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Jimmer Fredette Will Average Over 20 Points per 36 Minutes

He may only put up eight or nine points a game, but that will have next to nothing to do with his ability to produce. Fredette was a pick the owners pushed and coaches weren't sold on. Having to win over his coaches in year one is a big hurdle.

The reasons for Jimmer not playing a ton of minutes will be varied. Obviously, plenty of people will go straight to the token, nebulous criticism leveled at every white American guard: lacks lateral quickness, not athletic enough, can't defend, etc.

Another reason will be the more legitimate issue of the ball-dominating Jimmer coexisting with fellow shoot-first guards Marcus Thornton and Tyreke Evans. Throw in a volatile big man with an attitude of entitlement in DeMarcus Cousins, and it's hard to see Jimmer developing any chemistry with this team.

11. Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson

Bold Prediction: Klay Thompson Will Not Be as Effective as Reggie Williams

Thompson averaged a decent amount of points in the Pac-10 with Washington State, but doesn't look like anything more than the next Martell Webster to me.

The Warriors already have a solid 6'6" wing in Reggie Williams who's proven he can be a very effective scorer and long-range shooter. He averaged over 15 a game as an undrafted rookie in 2010 and pitched in a solid 9.2 a game in his first full season this past year. For his career, he's 41 percent from downtown.

12. Utah Jazz: Alec Burks

Bold Prediction: Alec Burks Will Hit Less than 25 Percent of His Three-Point Attempts

This is another one that may not be so bold. The Burks pick made some sense for Utah, but they were unable to address a major need in this draft (outside shooting).

They were one of the worst perimeter teams in the league last year, and this shooting guard won't help solve that problem. He hit 29 percent of his attempts from behind the college three-point line last year (that'll be a mid-range shot in the NBA).

Unless he makes major strides with his shot this summer, he's going to struggle to score at the next level. It's hard for one-dimensional scorers to be effective.

13. Phoenix Suns: Markieff Morris

Bold Prediction: Markieff Morris Will Break Phoenix's Streak of Drafting Players Who Aren't as Good as Their Brothers

Over the last few years, the Suns have employed Blake Griffin's brother Taylor and Brook Lopez's brother Robin. Those picks didn't work out and I'm afraid this one may struggle as well.

Markieff does have a chance to break Phoenix's curse though. Like every other player in this year's draft class, both Morris brothers are "boom or bust" selections. Markieff is the better rebounder and defender and hit a better percentage of his threes, so maybe he will translate to the next level better than Marcus.

16. Philadelphia 76ers: Nikola Vucevic

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Nikola Vucevic Will Have a Better Rookie Year than Any Center Taken Before Him

Vucevic is in a better situation than Enes Kanter and Jonas Valanciunas. He's headed to a team that could really use a solid true center (though I don't personally think Spencer Hawes got enough of a chance or time).

Doug Collins obviously wasn't sold on Hawes last year and Vucevic could take his spot. He averaged 17 and 10 for USC last year and is a legitimate seven-footer. I think he may be this year's first-round sleeper.

17. New York Knicks: Iman Shumpert

Bold Prediction: Iman Shumpert Will Be New York's Starting Point Guard After the All-Star Break

Most of the predictions on this slideshow have either been lukewarm or not bold at all. This one's real bold.

The only prospect this year that might be more athletic than Shumpert is Isaiah Thomas. That will help him be perhaps the best defender in this year's crop of rookies. It will also help him break down defenders, get into the lane and distribute the ball.

He needs to do a lot of work on his outside shooting to become a really effective D'Antoni-style point guard, but he brings some things to the table that Steve Nash never did.

Even if he's not totally ready for the role from an offensive standpoint next year, the versatility, defensive prowess and size (6'6" and 6'7") of a Shumpert and Landry Fields backcourt is intriguing to say the least.

And if he does play well enough to start, the Knicks could move Chauncey Billups and his expiring contract for a defensive-minded big man.

20. Houston Rockets (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Donatas Motiejunas

Hannah Johnston/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Donatas Motiejunas Will Average Three Points a Game as a Rookie

His rookie year won't actually take place for a few years (he'll spent some more time overseas). Whenever Motiejunas comes over, I see him joining the group of overseas first-rounders who never panned out.

21. Portland Trail Blazers: Nolan Smith

Bold Prediction: Nolan Smith Will Have the Same Impact Jerryd Bayless Had as a Rookie

I think Smith is one of the most underrated players in this year's class, but he's headed to a bad situation for himself in Portland.

The fit is really bad. Smith can play both guard positions but the Blazers already have Raymond Felton and Patty Mills at point guard and Wesley Matthews and Brandon Roy at shooting guard.

Portland picked up another combo guard in the 2008 draft in Jerryd Bayless. He had plenty of people ahead of him on the depth chart as well. His average of four points over 53 games may not be far off of what Smith will do.

26. Denver Nuggets (via Dallas Mavericks): Jordan Hamilton

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Bold Prediction: Jordan Hamilton Will Average Over 10 Points a Game

A lot of people were confused about the Nuggets acquisition of Hamilton on draft night. He's an intriguing wing, but Denver already has Danilo Gallinari, Arron Afflalo, J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler. How will he ever be able to crack the rotation with all those guys ahead of him?

There's another way to look at it too. Perhaps picking up Hamilton signalizes that Denver may be willing to let Smith and Chandler go in free agency this summer.

28. Miami Heat (from Minnesota Via Chicago): Norris Cole

In my heart of hearts, I'm thinking Miami's point guard position will be just as much of a mess as it was with Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo last year.

But this is about bold predictions, right? So with that in mind, I'll say that Cole will hit it off with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh and all will be well for the self-indulgent kings of the basketball universe.